Is weed legal in Kentucky?
Currently, cannabis is not legal for medical or adult-use purposes in the state of Kentucky. However, Kentucky residents may legally purchase and possess hemp-derived CBD products with no more than 0.3% THC.
Legislation history
Long before President Richard Nixon's war on drugs, Kentucky was the largest source of hemp crops in the continental United States. The state began hemp cultivation in 1775 and remained a primary source of the plant well into the 20th century.
A wave of anti-cannabis propaganda led to the eradication of hemp in the state in the late 1930s, despite a brief reprieve in the 1940s when Kentucky farmers were encouraged to grow hemp to prevent the import of jute from Asia.
Cannabis remained illegal in Kentucky until 2014, when hemp cultivation was permitted by the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill. The same year, Gov. Steve Beshear signed SB 124, a law that allowed patients to use non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) products with a physician's written order.
In 2017, Kentucky lawmakers passed HB 333, which broadly legalized the consumption and retail sale of hemp and hemp-derived CBD products that contain 0.3% THC or less.
Frequently asked questions
What are the laws in Kentucky for medical marijuana and employers?
Kentucky does not have a medical marijuana program. The only cannabis Kentucky residents can legally purchase and possess is hemp-derived CBD products with no more than 0.3% THC. There are no laws specifically governing medical marijuana and employers in Kentucky.
How do you get a medical marijuana card in Kentucky?
Because Kentucky does not have a medical marijuana program, you cannot get a medical marijuana card there. The only cannabis Kentucky residents can legally purchase and possess is hemp-derived CBD products with no more than 0.3% THC.
How do you get a medical marijuana business license in Kentucky?
You cannot get a medical marijuana business license in Kentucky because Kentucky does not have a medical marijuana program. The only cannabis Kentucky residents can legally purchase and possess is hemp-derived CBD products with no more than 0.3% THC.
Did Proposition 64 pass in Kentucky?
Kentucky has not had a Proposition 64, the California ballot measure that legalized adult-use marijuana. In 2020, Kentucky had a medical marijuana bill, HB 136, that passed the House but the Senate was focused on dealing with the state's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and didn't get to it before the legislative session ended.
Is CBD hemp flower legal in Kentucky?
It is legal for farmers, processors, and others who are licensed by Kentucky's Department of Agriculture to grow, handle, transport, and process hemp with no more than 0.3% THC. Kentucky law says regular citizens may purchase and possess CBD products that are not flower.
This page was last updated October 23, 2020.